Catholic charity in new partnership to support Vietnamese trafficking victims

Trafficked - Image by Luke Teague

The Medaille Trust, one of the largest Catholic charities working in the field of modern slavery, has agreed to a new partnership with Hagar International to better support Vietnamese survivors of trafficking in the UK.

The Medaille Trust and Hagar, two leading charities in the campaign against modern slavery, have announced a partnership which will see the charities work together to support Vietnamese survivors. The partnership aims to identify and address the unique needs of Vietnamese victims, offering them tailored support to rebuild their lives and escape the chains of exploitation and slavery. Hagar will provide a deeper understanding of the cultural context and background of victims of modern slavery from Vietnam and will deliver face to face trauma-informed support for those who return home.

Vietnamese nationals make up some of the most common nationalities to be identified as potential victims of slavery in the UK. In the most recent statistics Vietnamese nationals were the third most common referred into the National Referral Mechanism (the UK system for identifying and supporting modern slavery victims).[1] Vietnamese victims are frequently exploited by organized criminal gangs into debt bondage, forced labour, criminal and sexual exploitation.

The new partnership will work to identify the particular needs of these victims and better support them to rebuild a life free of exploitation and slavery.

Hagar International's Interim CEO, Peter Baynard-Smith, said: "We are delighted to be working with Medaille. Hagar has been providing expert trauma informed care for just under 30 years, including in Vietnam where we work with government, the British Embassy and key actors to reduce the vulnerability of people to being trafficked to the UK, and provide expert-led trauma informed care and financial empowerment to survivors of modern day slavery and extreme abuse; to help rebuild their lives and break the cycle of exploitation, opening a pathway to healing and independence."

Medaille Trust CEO Garry Smith said: "This is a really exciting new partnership. At Medaille we have extensive experience of working with Vietnamese service users who are referred into our safe houses. This partnership will allow us to better provide the tailored support survivors need to rebuild their lives and to collect and share the intelligence that we will hope will lead to more arrests and convictions of their abusers."

Hagar supports 65,000 women and children every year. The organization's holistic approach, providing shelter, education, vocational training, legal and financial support, and counselling, empowers individuals to rebuild their lives and break the cycle of exploitation. Beyond immediate rescue efforts, Hagar focuses on long-term recovery, addressing systemic issues that contribute to human trafficking. The organization's commitment to empowerment not only helps survivors but also creates positive change in communities, fostering awareness of human rights. Hagar International stands as a beacon of hope, contributing to lasting transformation in the lives of those who have experienced profound trauma.

Medaille Trust is one of the UK's leading providers of survivor support services for victims of modern slavery. Through a network of safe houses and community-based projects, the organization supports over 600 survivors annually.

LINKS

Medaille Trust: www.medaille-trust.org.uk

Hagar International: https://hagarinternational.org/